Lesson 2: Purpose and Scope of the Act

The Main Purposes of the Alberta Land Stewardship Act

The purposes of the Alberta Land Stewardship Act (ALSA) are explicitly stated within subsection (2) of the Act and are quoted here:

• to provide a means by which the Government can give direction and provide leadership in identifying the objectives of the province of Alberta, including economic, environmental and social objectives
  
  
• to provide a means to plan for the future, recognizing the need to manage activity to meet the reasonably foreseeable needs of current and future generations of Albertans, including Aboriginal peoples
  
  
• to provide for the co-ordination of decisions by decision makers concerning land, species, human settlement, natural resources and the environment
  
  
• to create legislation and policy that enable sustainable development by taking account of and responding to the cumulative effect of human endeavour and other events

Land stewardship reduces our environmental footprint.

 

The Scope of the Alberta Land Stewardship Act

The Alberta Land Stewardsip Act (ALSA) applies to all public and privately-owned land in the Province, forested or otherwise. Its scope is far-reaching in nature, affecting many other provincial laws. No fewer than 27 of Alberta's legislative Acts pertaining to its lands and natural resources were amended to support it.

Regarding privately-owned land, the Alberta Land Stewardsip Act supports the strategies in the Land-use Framerwork: that we all share responsibility for the management of our lands and that we be good stewards of our land and natural resources. However this does not mean that Alberta's government can act unilaterally as it likes when dealing with private lands. The Alberta Land Stewardsip Act clearly states that:

"In carrying out the purposes of this Act as specified in subsection (2), the Government must respect the property and other rights of individuals and must not infringe on those rights except with due process of law and to the extent necessary for the overall greater public interest."

Additionally, the Alberta Land Stewardsip Act accompanying stewardship regulations provide clear rules regarding the implementation of regional plans, and make it clear that the government will always respect all existing property rights. Alberta Land Stewardsip Act does not limit any existing rights to compensation, and respects all appeal provisions. Within Alberta Land Stewardsip Act, stewardship tools are intended to support landowners if they protect, conserve, manage, and enhance environmental values on their lands.